Optical connection terminal, connection structure for optical connection terminal, and method for making optical device

Abstract

A lens array is accommodated inside a positioning member and fixed with adhesive, for example. The lens array is optically connected to a planar optical waveguide (an optical waveguide member). The planar optical waveguide includes a plurality of optical waveguide paths being formed therein, and each of the plurality of the optical waveguide paths is aligned and optically connected to each lens of the lens array and fixed with adhesive, for example. A guide mechanism is provided on a front surface of the positioning member (a surface facing a connection target) for positioning with the connection target. Here, it is preferable that the planar optical waveguide and the lens array are made of glass and the positioning member is made of thermoplastic resin.

1 . An optical connection terminal that can be optically connected to a connection target, the optical connection terminal comprising:
 a positioning member having a guide mechanism for the connection target;   a lens array that is to be fixed to the positioning member; and   an optical waveguide member that is to be optically connected to the lens array, wherein:   the positioning member and the lens array are positioned and fixed to each other; and   the lens array and the optical waveguide member are aligned and fixed to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the lens array and the optical waveguide member are made of silicon or glass; and   the positioning member is made of resin.   
     
     
         3 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein difference in linear expansion coefficients between the lens array and the optical waveguide member is 20 ppm/° C. or less. 
     
     
         4 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein;
 the positioning member includes a positioning part with which a front surface of the lens array can be in surface contact; and   there is a predetermined distance between a tip end of the lens array and a front surface of the positioning member.   
     
     
         5 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein a magnet that is to be a fixing portion with the connection target is disposed on the front surface of the positioning member. 
     
     
         6 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide mechanism is disposed on each side of the lens array and has a concave/convex structure that can be fitted with the connection target. 
     
     
         7 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein a gap is provided between the optical waveguide member and the lens array. 
     
     
         8 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 7 , wherein a spacer is disposed between the optical waveguide member and the lens array at a part other than optical paths. 
     
     
         9 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 8 , wherein the spacer and the lens array are integrally formed and a thickness of the spacer is 5 μm or more. 
     
     
         10 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein an interface between the optical waveguide member and the lens array is formed obliquely to an optical axis direction of the optical waveguide member. 
     
     
         11 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein optical waveguide paths in the optical waveguide member are formed obliquely to an optical axis direction of the lens array. 
     
     
         12 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein a beam expansion diameter by the lens array is 30 μm or more and 120 μm or less. 
     
     
         13 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein the front surface of the optical waveguide member is 5 μm or more behind a back focal point position of the lens array. 
     
     
         14 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 12 , wherein a thickness of the positioning member is 0.8 mm or more. 
     
     
         15 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 14 , wherein the thickness of the positioning member is 1 mm or more. 
     
     
         16 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a rear end surface of the lens array and a front end surface of the positioning member is 1.7 mm or less. 
     
     
         17 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a rear end surface of the optical waveguide member and the front end surface of the positioning member is 12 mm or less. 
     
     
         18 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens array is inserted into the positioning member and fixed in a state in which outer surfaces of the lens array are pressed against at least two inner surfaces of the positioning member. 
     
     
         19 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 convex/concave shapes corresponding to each other are formed on the inner surfaces of the positioning member and the outer surfaces of the lens array; and   the convex/concave shapes on the inner surfaces of the positioning member fit with the convex/concave shapes on the outer surfaces of the lens array and the lens array is positioned to the positioning member.   
     
     
         20 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 convex/concave shapes corresponding to each other are formed on the inner surfaces of the positioning member and the outer surfaces of the lens array; and   when the lens array is pushed into the positioning member, the convex/concave shapes on the inner surfaces of the positioning member elastically deform such that the convex/concave shapes on the inner surfaces of the positioning member fit with the convex/concave shapes on the outer surfaces of the lens array to be fixed in a state of close contact with each other.   
     
     
         21 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical waveguide member is an optical fiber array in which multicore fibers are arranged side by side. 
     
     
         22 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein a shrinkage percentage of the positioning member after being heated at 260° C. for one minute is 0.13% or less. 
     
     
         23 . The optical connection terminal according to  claim 1 , wherein the shrinkage percentage of the positioning member after being heated at 260° C. for one minute is 0.02% or less. 
     
     
         24 . A connection structure for optical connection terminals, wherein:
 a first one of the optical connection terminals comprises a first positioning member, a first lens array that is to be fixed to the first positioning member, and a first optical waveguide member that is to be optically connected to the first lens array;   a second one of the optical connection terminals, which is to be connected to the first one of the optical connection terminals, comprises a second positioning member, a second lens array that is to be fixed to the second positioning member, and a second optical waveguide member that is to be optically connected to the second lens array; and   when the first positioning member and the second positioning member are connected, there is a space formed at an optically connected part between the first lens array and the second lens array.   
     
     
         25 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein the first optical waveguide member is a planar optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide member is an optical fiber array. 
     
     
         26 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 one side of the first positioning member and the second positioning member is provided with a male-side hole and a guide pin that is to be inserted into the male-side hole and fixed;   the other side of the first positioning member and the second positioning member is provided with a female-side hole into/from which the guide pin can be inserted/removed;   a diameter of the female-side hole is larger than a diameter of the male-side hole by 1 μm or more; and   when the first positioning member and the second positioning member are connected, the guide pin is inserted into the female-side hole and the first positioning member and the second positioning member are positioned to each other.   
     
     
         27 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 one side of the first positioning member and the second positioning member is provided with a male-side hole and a guide pin that is to be pressed and fitted into the male-side hole and fixed;   the other side of the first positioning member and the second positioning member is provided with a female-side hole into/from which the guide pin can be inserted/removed;   a diameter of the female-side hole is larger than an outer diameter of the guide pin; and   when the first positioning member and the second positioning member are connected, the guide pin is inserted into the female-side hole and the first positioning member and the second positioning member are positioned to each other.   
     
     
         28 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 26 , wherein an insertion length of the guide pin in the female-side hole is 1 mm or less. 
     
     
         29 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 an interface between the first optical waveguide member and the first lens array is formed obliquely to an optical axis direction of the first lens array;   an interface between the second optical waveguide member and the second lens array is formed obliquely to an optical axis direction of the second lens array; and   when the first positioning member and the second positioning member are connected, the interface between the first optical waveguide member and the first lens array are substantially parallel to the interface between the second optical waveguide member and the second lens array.   
     
     
         30 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the interface between the first optical waveguide member and the first lens array is formed obliquely to the optical axis direction of the first lens array;   the interface between the second optical waveguide member and the second lens array is formed obliquely to the optical axis direction of the second lens array; and   when the first positioning member and the second positioning member are connected, the interface between the first optical waveguide member and the first lens array and the interface between the second optical waveguide member and the second lens array are substantially linearly symmetrical with a connected part as an axis of symmetry.   
     
     
         31 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 an optical path of the first optical waveguide member is formed obliquely to the optical axis direction of the first lens array;   an optical path of the second optical waveguide member is formed obliquely to the optical axis direction of the second lens array; and   when the first positioning member and the second positioning member are connected, the optical path of the first optical waveguide member and the optical path of the second optical waveguide member are substantially linearly symmetrical with the connected part as an axis of symmetry.   
     
     
         32 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 a plurality of the first ones of the optical connection terminals are disposed on a substrate;   a plurality of the second ones of the optical connection terminals are fixed collectively by a housing; and   the plurality of the first ones of the optical connection terminals are optically connected to the plurality of the second ones of the optical connection terminals that are integrated by the housing.   
     
     
         33 . The connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 the plurality of the first ones of the optical connection terminals are disposed on a substrate;   a plurality of the second lens arrays are fixed to the second positioning member in the second one of the optical connection terminals, and each of the second optical waveguide members is optically connected to each of the second lens arrays; and   each of the first lens arrays of the plurality of the first ones of the optical connection terminals and the plurality of the second lens arrays integrated by the second positioning member are optically connected.   
     
     
         34 . A method for manufacturing an optical device using the connection structure for optical connection terminals according to  claim 24 , the method comprising:
 a step ‘a’ of disposing the first one of the optical connection terminals onto an electronic circuit substrate to be connected with the electronic circuit substrate through reflow; and   a step ‘b’ following the step ‘a’ of connecting the second one of the optical connection terminals to the first one of the optical connection terminals.